Speakers

EXPERIENCE

Apollo 9 Astronaut Rusty Schweickart

Don't miss your chance to see one of the original Apollo astronauts!

Rusty Schweickart flew on Apollo 9 in 1969 and performed an EVA in low earth orbit to test the lunar portable life support backpack while crewmates James McDivitt and David Scott waited inside the capsule.

During the height of the Cold War, in 1985, he founded the Association of Space Explorers with Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, a professional organization of Cosmonauts and Astronauts (Leonov's Apollo-Soyuz Capsule is on display to the right of the escalators in the California Science Center!). In 2002, Rusty also co-founded the B612 Foundation, dedicated to protecting humanity from Earth-crossing asteroids.

Rusty is an extraordinary visionary and space advocate and the original "sensing mechanism for humanity."

Private Space Explorer Anousheh Ansari

Born in Iran, Anousheh immigrated to the United States as a teenager, became as electrical engineer and then the CEO of TTI. After selling TTI, the Ansari Family put up the money to enable the $10M X Prize to be fully funded and then won by Burt Rutan's SpaceShipOne in 2004.

Anousheh then went on to begin training in Russia to fly on the Soyuz and fulfill her lifelong dream of reaching the stars. Training as a back-up crew member, she was moved to Prime Crew three weeks before her flight! She is the first female private space explorer, having spent eight days on the International Space Station in 2006 (plus two days getting there in a Soyuz).

Anousheh is an ambassador for space, and is passionate about people "being the change" and following their dreams.

Serial Space Entrepreneur Peter Diamandis

Peter is the founder of X Prize, International Space University, SEDS (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space), Space Generation, Space Adventures, Planetary Resources, Singularity University, Human Longevity Inc, Abundance 360 and Zero Gravity Corp. If you have never seen him speak you are in for a treat.

He is a passionate space entrepreneur, a highly sought keynote speaker, the New York Times Best Selling author of Bold and Abundance and is featured in the New York Times Best Seller "How to Make a Spaceship" written by Julian Guthrie who will also be on hand at Yuri's Night L.A. to sign them! Be sure to find their special breakout talk on the book during the Pre-party!

Best known for his role as Anton Chekov in the original Roddenberry classic, Walter Koenig still delights fans with roles in Renegades & Star Trek: Captain Pike.

Chase Masterson played Leeta on Deep Space Nine. She is also the creator of Pop Culture Hero Coalition a non-profit that uses pop culture story telling to end bullying.

Robert Picardo played the holographic doctor on Voyager. He charms and delights with his monthly "Planetary Post" Videos for the Planetary Society! Tim Russ shared the screen with Robert on that show, and also is an avid amateur astronomer.

Like Gene Roddenberry's vision for a united earth, Yuri's Night is committed to using space to bring the world together. We are honored to host Walter Koenig, who helped humanize people on the other side of the ideological divide of the Cold War, and all of our special guests.

Sascha Paladino- The Spirit of Yuri's Night Award

We are also honored to give out the 7th annual Spirit of Yuri's Night award to Sascha Paladino, the creator and executive producer of the Disney Junior show Miles from Tomorrowland.

Last year we discovered a Miles from Tomorrowland episode titled, "Yuri's Night" about Miles attending his first ever Yuri's Night celebration with famous alien rockstar Bootjet Groovestar. In the episode his dad, Leo Callisto, explains that Yuri's Night is celebrated all over the galaxy and honors the day the first human, Yuri Gagarin, left Earth. The show introduces Yuri's Night to a whole new generation and raises the bar on hosting a funk-tacular space party.

The Spirit of Yuri's Night Award celebrates people combining space and art to inspire humanity.

And Our MC: Comedian Gray Bright

Gray Bright will be our charming Australian MC for the evening. He is a comedian, engineer and the host of The Tomorrow Show, a Late Night Talk Show focused on Science and Technology. Gray sits down with some of the biggest names from the worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (“STEAM”) and conducts a thought provoking and entertaining interview. In addition to the interviews, each episode opens with a comedic monologue drawing on current news and events in the STEAM space, includes punctuating comedy pieces centered on STEAM concepts and ends with a live musical performance.

Gray also hosts a series of fun, science and space video posts on his YouTube channel that are sure to bring a smile and was also recently featured on America's Greatest Makers.

ALL TICKET HOLDERS ARE INVITED TO JOIN US in LISTENING TO Anousheh and Rusty.

We also will again have access to all the Ecosystems Exhibits which includes the Kelp Forest Aquarium and Mission 26: Endeavour Story.

NEW FOR THIS YEAR: We will also have access to the Apollo-Soyuz Capsule and all the 2nd floor exhibits, SO BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT!

Interactives

Back To The Future Nate Truman's StarCarCentral.com will be bringing a Back to the Future DeLorean to the front door of the venue so have your selfie cameras ready!

JPL is bringing their super gecko robot again that can climb straight up a brick wall! Along with other fun rover hardware and tech.

UCSB's NASA Directed Energy interstellar program team will have laser array demos and wafer scale spacecraft they are testing for the NASA Starlight and Breakthrough Starshot's trip to Alpha Centauri!

Photo Booth Come and get your Spaceship Earth crew photo in front of the Space Shuttle and get a hard copy you can take home with you to adorn your office wall...

Bella Gaia Rhiannon will be on hand to give people a full VR headset immersion experience of their musical tour of Spaceship Earth from space. Don't miss their live performance at Caltech April 15th!

ISS Above will be there showing you how to build your own wearable ISS flyover reminder.

Vortex Media is bringing their interactive floor projection and Evan will again be projecting awesome space imagery on the rocket engine.

Everyday Astronaut and Kyle Kristy will be on hand with some of their greatest art pieces!

LaunchPad Pre-Party

The LaunchPad Pre-Party held at the California Science Center from 6:00-7:00pm, which will include access to their Humans in Space exhibition (to the right at the top of the escalator). It includes the Apollo-Soyuz Capsule, the Gemini 11 Capsule and an Apollo 16 lunar EVA suit. We will also have book signings, Ambassador LaunchPad Talks, live artists or you can just grab a drink with your friends in the lobby. The LaunchPad Pre-Party will have something for everyone.

Launch Pad talks- Room 1 - Kelp Forest Aquarium

Wasfia Nazreen will be sharing about her experience climbing Mt. Everest as an analogue for spaceflightAmanda Ravenhill will be talking about Buckminster Fuller's vision for Spaceship Earth.

Turn right at the top of the escalators to head towards Creative World and check out our Space Petting Zoo with meteorites, aerogels and spaceship materials. Check out the Space Capsules, chat up a Yuri's Night Ambassador, and meet NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman.

Explore the Alpha Quadrant with The Improvised Generation, an entirely improvised episode in the style of Star Trek: The Next Generation. New ship, new crew, endless possibilities!

Dancing Under the Space Shuttle

The evening culminates with an epic dance party under the Space Shuttle Endeavour and around other parts of the museum! There will be music all night provided by DJ Dynamix & friends. We'll be bringing you sick space beats until midnight. It is a unique opportunity to party under a national treasure. Don't forget to dress up, costumes are encouraged!

Music of #YNLA17

Astronautica

DJ Dynamix

Tony Quattro

Suzie Strong

Charles Meyer

Malcolm Brown

ShanLynn

Christina Leorosa

Space Ambassadors

Yuri's Night Ambassadors will be at the event in their dashing blue sashes! Please go up to them throughout the night and ask your favorite space questions!

Julian Guthrie:: Author of How to Make a Spaceship: A Band of Renegades, an Epic Race, and the Birth of Private Spaceflight.

Tim Dodd:: The Everyday Astronaut will be joining us to share his adventures and misadventures on the Space Coast and beyond...

Konstantin Batygin

Ariel Waldman

Wasfia Nazreen

Shah Selbe

Mike Mongo

Lauren Lyons

Bryan Gardner

Philip Lubin

Laura Danly

Amanda Ravenhill

Julian Guthrie

Everyday Astronaut

Looking for a family friendly space event during the DAY? You're in luck! We will be hosting a Yuri's Night Kids event at Columbia Memorial Space Center on Sat April 8, 2017, 10:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. for a day of space themed activities, fun, and the opportunity to see what rocket science is all about! Learn more here